How Coca-Cola keeps up with shifting consumer demands

The Coca-Cola Company has accelerated its launches of 'better for you' beverages in recent years but consumers often have conflicting preferences - how does Coca-Cola keep ahead of new trends?

Speaking to FoodNavigator-USA at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Boston, the company's vice president of Living Well at Coca-Cola North America, Celeste Bottorff, said consumers are demanding more transparency on several levels.

She said the company has boosted its focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and has ensured that consumers have access to information about Coca-Cola's CSR strategy, whether they are interested in water use or the environmental impact of packaging materials, for example.

In addition, Bottorff said that consumer demands often conflict. While many people may be interested in healthier beverage options, there is an element of nostalgia about other drinks in the company's portfolio, meaning that it can sometimes be challenging to strike the right balance.

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